The Miami Heat are known for a few things. Hard work, dedication, perseverance, and doing whatever it takes to be successful… in, out, or around the season.
The Miami Heat Culture is real and in fact, it’s a way of life for some. That perfectly describes Udonis Haslem, something or somebody else the Heat have been come to be known for.
Being with the team, still and into his early 40s, there were some out there that questioned the merit of having The Captain, The OG, and the guy named Udonis Haslem on the bench.
While the intangible, cultural, and mentoring-type things are unquestionably worth their weight in gold, the Miami Heat’s longest tenured player, at this point, also still has some things to offer on the court.
https://twitter.com/BallyHEAT/status/1461158034256936965
Playing in four of the Miami Heat’s 15 games so far, he’s on pace to play in 22 games or so this season.
The Miami Heat were down a big, without Bam Adebayo, in Wednesday’s win over the Pelicans. They called on Udonis Haslem and he answered the ring.
Not only would that be his most games since the 2015-16 season, but it would almost be more games than he’s played in across his last four years… combined.
Here’s the thing though, it wasn’t a novelty in their latest contest against the New Orleans Pelicans. They, absolutely, needed what UD could give.
Being down Bam Adebayo as a big and having to deal with the tank named Jonas Valanciunas, they needed another option that could deal with his strength, physicality, and raw aggression.
Though Haslem may not be quite as strong as he was in his prime, he’s still, surely, just as physical and just as nasty (to match said “raw aggression”). That’s just what he gave Miami on Wednesday night in his seven minutes of action.
I will never understand why Udonis Haslem didn't play at all last season. (And neither did some in the organization).
— Five Reasons Sports 🏀🏈⚾️🏒⚽️ (@5ReasonsSports) November 18, 2021
Hopefully, Haslem can reach or come close to that 22 game pace-projection he’s on, as some seem to think that he should have seen the floor more prior to this season. You can’t really disagree with them either.
In any event, you take what you can get and any time from UD is something to behold. He still plays with a purpose, the right way and that’s the Miami Heat way.
You just love to see it. And you hope to continue doing just that.